Dynamically Fabricated Store for Distribution of Media Content

ABSTRACT

A method for implementing a media content store includes providing a set of exemplary storefronts for the media content store; receiving a designation of a selected storefront and media content in an origination format; transforming the media content into a distribution format; and offering the transformed media content to a prospective customer through the selected storefront.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation (and claims the benefit of priorityunder 35 USC 120) of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/327,154, filed Jan. 6,2006. The disclosure of the prior application is considered part of (andis incorporated by reference in) the disclosure of this application

FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention relates to content distribution, and in particular to thedistribution of media content.

BACKGROUND

An entrepreneur who wishes to sell goods over the internet typicallycreates a web site, which functions as a virtual store. The web sitedisplays or otherwise describes the goods on sale and provides controlsfor causing execution of certain software. These controls enable thevirtual store to accept orders for goods, process payments, and receiveinstructions for delivery.

The fulfillment of such orders, however, involves more conventionalmethods for delivery. Software executing in connection with the virtualstore generally sends a message that ultimately causes the selectedgoods to be physically transported to their destination. This greatlysimplifies the tasks inherent in creating a virtual store for saleand/or distribution of goods over the internet.

For those who wish to sell content, the internet provides a way todeliver the actual content. Virtual stores for content distributiontypically maintain collections of computer-readable files containingdata representing content. Using the internet, the virtual store eitherdownloads or streams this data to a client. This fulfillment method isparticularly useful for distributing media content, such as audio and/orvideo, text, or other multimedia presentations.

The construction of a virtual store for facilitating the sale and/ordistribution of media content is made far more difficult by the need toprovide software for processing the media content, delivering it ondemand, playing selected portions of the content upon request, andenforcing intellectual property rights in the content. Virtual storesfor content distribution are often expected to cope with efficientlydelivering content to a great many clients who collectively use avariety of internet protocols, including, but not limited to, http, ftp,and mms. Individual creators of media content often lack the technicalskills for creating such a virtual store, or the resources to hiresomeone to create such a store on their behalf.

As a practical matter, the difficulties inherent in creating a virtualstore for distribution of media content all but force the creator ofsuch content to seek assistance from an established distributor.However, established distributors are often wary of committing theirmarketing and distribution resources on behalf of unknown talent.Moreover, even when persuaded to lend their assistance, there is a priceexacted by such a distributor, both in terms of revenue sharing and inthe loss of control over the marketing and distribution of content.

SUMMARY

The invention provides a method and system for enabling a creator ofmedia content to easily become a media entrepreneur by setting up andoperating a virtual store for distribution and/or sale of media content.

In one aspect, the invention features a method for implementing a mediacontent store. Such a method includes providing a set of exemplarystorefronts for the media content store, each of the storefrontsproviding a publicly accessible user interface; receiving a designationof a selected storefront; receiving media content in an originationformat; transforming the media content into a distribution format; andoffering the transformed media content to a prospective customer throughthe selected storefront.

Alternative practices include those in which offering the transformedmedia content to a prospective customer through the selected storefrontincludes offering the transformed media content for distribution, andthose in which offering the transformed media content to a prospectivecustomer through the selected storefront includes offering thetransformed media content for sale.

In certain practices, offering the transformed media content to aprospective customer through the selected storefront includes offeringthe transformed media content for playback.

Other practices further include receiving data for populating the mediacontent store. In such cases, this can include receiving media content,or data representative of promotional materials.

Other practices include those that further include receivinginstructions for restricting distribution of media content. Exemplaryinstructions include those restricting geographic distribution of themedia content.

In some practices, offering the transformed media content to aprospective customer includes establishing communication with a digitalprocessing device associated with the customer. Exemplary digitalprocessing devices include media players and general purpose digitalcomputers.

Alternative practices of the inventor include those in whichtransforming the media content into a distribution format includesextracting a portion of the media content for playback.

Many different types of media content can be received. Thus, variouspractices include those in which receiving media content includesreceiving data representative of audio information, receiving datarepresentative of video information, and receiving data representativeof textual information.

Some practices include accepting instructions from the prospectivecustomer for consummating distribution of the media content.

Other practices include those that in response to acceptinginstructions, cause distribution of meta-data associated with the mediacontent file.

Yet other practices include those that in response to acceptinginstructions, rename a media content file. Among these practices arethose in which renaming includes replacing an assigned name with areceived name.

Additional practices include providing a download utility for causingdownload of the media content to a digital appliance provided by theprospective customer, as well as those that include providing a linkthat, when accessed, enables distribution of the media content to adigital appliance provided by the prospective customer.

In some other practices, accepting instructions includes receiving datarepresentative of instructions for authorizing distribution of the mediacontent.

Additional practices also include receiving instructions authorizingmodification of data representative of a first account and correspondingmodification of data representative of a second account, the firstaccount being associated with the prospective customer and the secondaccount being associated with the media content store.

In another aspect, the invention features a system for implementing amedia content store. Such a system includes a sign-up/administrationmodule for receiving a choice for a designated storefront selected froma set of exemplary storefronts for the media content store; a mediacontent transformer, in data communication with thesign-up/administration module, for transforming media content from anorigination format into a distribution format; and a storefront processfor providing a prospective customer with access to the media contentthrough the selected storefront.

Embodiments include those in which the storefront process is configuredfor media content distribution, those in which the storefront process isconfigured for sale of media content, and those in which the storefrontprocess is configured for playback of media content.

Other embodiments include those in which the sign-up/administrationmodule is configured to receive data for populating the media contentstore, those in which the sign-up/administration module is configured toreceive media content, and those in which the sign-up/administrationmodule is configured to receive data representative of promotionalmaterials, for example coupons.

Yet other embodiments include those in which the sign-up/administrationmodule is configured to receive instructions for restrictingdistribution of the media content. A variety of ways exist to restrictdistribution. For example, in some embodiments thesign-up/administration module is configured to receive instructions forrestricting geographic distribution of the media content.

Embodiments also include those in which the storefront process isconfigured to establish communication with a digital processing deviceassociated with the customer, for example with a media player, or with ageneral purpose digital computer.

Additional embodiments include those in which the media contenttransformer is configured to extract a portion of the media content forplayback, and those in which the media content transformer is configuredto transform data representative of audio information, videoinformation, textual information, and/or any combination thereof.

In other embodiments, the sign-up/administration module is configured toreceive executable files.

In yet other embodiments, the storefront process is configured to acceptinstructions for consummating distribution of the media content. Amongthere are embodiments in which the storefront process is configured toreceive data representative of instructions for authorizing distributionof the media content, and those in which the storefront process isconfigured to receive instructions authorizing modification of datarepresentative of a first account and corresponding modification of datarepresentative of a second account, the first account being associatedwith the prospective customer and the second account being associatedwith the media content store.

Other embodiments include a download process configured to distributemeta-data associated with the media content file. In some of theseembodiments the download process is configured to provide a downloadutility for downloading the media content. In others, the downloadprocess is configured to provide a hyperlink for accessing the mediacontent.

Certain embodiments include a download process configured to rename amedia content file. Among these are embodiments in which the downloadprocess is configured to replace an assigned name with a received name.

In another aspect, the invention includes a computer-readable mediumhaving stored thereon software for establishing a media content store.The software including instructions that, when executed by a processor,cause the processor to provide a set of exemplary storefronts for themedia content store, each of the storefronts providing a publiclyaccessible user interface; receive a designation of a selectedstorefront; receive media content in an origination format; transformthe media content into a distribution format; and offer the transformedmedia content to a prospective customer through the selected storefront.

As used in the foregoing, alternative “embodiments” of methods arereferred to as “practices” because a method, by its nature, lacks acorporeal essence.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill inthe art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and devicessimilar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in thepractice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods anddevices are described below. All publications, patent applications,patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated byreference in their entirety. In case of conflict, the presentspecification, including definitions, will control. In addition, thematerials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intendedto be limiting.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a media content distribution system having a pre-fabricatedstorefront;

FIG. 2 is a flow-chart for a procedure carried out by acontent-formatting process; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 are flow-charts of alternative downloading procedures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description that follows describes but one of manyembodiments of the invention. It is therefore intended to beillustrative of the invention and not to be limiting in any way. Thefollowing description is thus an aid in determining the scope of theinvention. It is not definitive of that scope. The limits of theinvention are defined only by the appended claims.

As used herein, terms such as “computer system,” “data processingsystem,” and “computer” refers to a physical machine having one or moreprocessing elements and one or more storage elements in communicationwith the one or more of the processing elements. The term “process”refers to software that is being run on a computer system. Generally, aprocess comes into existence, or is spawned by the execution of codestored on computer-readable media and ceases to exist upon terminationof execution.

Referring to FIG. 1, a particular implementation of a media contentdistribution system 10 features a sign-up/administration process 12 forinteracting with prospective media entrepreneurs. Thesign-up/administration process 12 accepts, from a prospective mediaentrepreneur, information identifying the entrepreneur, and informationenabling the entrepreneur to collect payment. The signup/administrationprocess 12 also solicits the entrepreneur's agreement to terms foraccessing and using the distribution system 10.

After accepting the terms, the entrepreneur becomes a proprietor of avirtual media store. The sign-up/administration process 12 then providesthe newly-minted proprietor with a series of pre-fabricated storefrontsfor defining the look and feel of the newly-established virtual mediastore. In response to instructions by the proprietor, thesign-up/administrative process 12 displays a preview of how thestorefront might appear upon selection of a particular pre-fabricatedstorefront. After receiving the proprietor's selection of apre-fabricated storefront, the sign-up/administration process 12 invitesthe proprietor to populate the storefront with media content and withany text or images intended to promote distribution of such mediacontent. In addition, the sign-up/administration process 12 offers theproprietor the opportunity to restrict or otherwise control distributionof media content, for example by specifying how intellectual propertyrights in the media content are to be enforced.

As used herein, the term “proprietor” is not intended to refer to aspecific person. For example, the term “proprietor” may include oneacting on behalf of the proprietor, for example as an agent. In somecases, the proprietor may be a corporate entity or another type ofbusiness organization. The term “proprietor” is intended primarily todistinguish between those who provide media content, and those whoconsume it.

Similarly, as used herein, the term “customer” is not intended to mean aspecific person, but can represent an agent acting on behalf of aspecific person or an entity. Since the playback unit or digitalprocessing device that interacts with the media content distributionsystem 10 acts on behalf of a specific person or entity, that devicewill sometimes be referred to as a “customer.”

During the course of operating the media store, the proprietor is freeto further interact with the sign-up/administration process 12 to managethe media store. Typical management tasks that a proprietor might carryout include providing additional media content for distribution, editingany of the promotional materials, changing personal information oraccount information, changing the way intellectual property rights areenforced, or even changing the look and feel for the virtual store.

In connection with accepting media content, the sign-up/administrationprocess 12 executes a file-check utility 14 for rapidly scanning filesprior to acceptance. The file check utility 14 determines whether filesare ready to be accepted for upload. The sign-up/administration process12 also provides the proprietor with an opportunity to add or changemeta-data, i.e., data about the media content.

The sign-up/administration process 12 also executes a CD ripping process16 for reading data formatted for storage on an audio CD andtransforming it into data formatted for uploading into the media contentdistribution system 10.

The sign-up/administration process 12 thus enables the proprietor to, ineffect, create a virtual store “on the fly,” or interactively. Forexample, the sign-up/administration process 12 provides a menu oftemplates for enabling a proprietor to instantly modify or restyle thelook and feel of the media store. In addition, thesign-up/administration process 12 provides a menu of options for digitalrights management to be applied to any media content offered fordistribution.

When the proprietor selects a particular look and feel, thesign-up/administration process 12 causes a style file to be associatedwith the proprietor's store. the style file is stored, together withother style files, in a known location. Each style file points to afolder that contains images to be used with a particular file. Theseimages include pre-defined images, as well as optional images that aresolicited from the proprietor.

Data collected by the sign-up/administration process 12 is saved in acentral database 18 for access by other components of the distributionsystem 10.

As part of its role in setting up the store, the sign-up/administrationprocess 12 can also associate, with media content, data indicative ofdigital rights in that media content. Such digital rights can includedata indicative of restrictions on distribution of content. Exemplaryrestrictions include restrictions on the number of times media contentcan be copied or otherwise re-distributed, the number of times mediacontent can be played, or the extent to which media content can begeographically distributed. For example, the sign-up/administrationprocess 12 can associate data that specifies what countries mediacontent may be distributed to. Information on what restrictions are toapply to particular media content, or to media content globally, can bestored, for example, in the central database 18.

The media content distribution system 10 also features apayment-and-billing process 20 in communication with the centraldatabase 18. The payment-and-billing process 20 handles the details ofall transactions, such as posting debits to accounts of customers 34 whopurchase media content, remitting revenue derived from such sales to theproprietor, and remitting revenue or other service charges to theoperator of the distribution system 10. It does so in part by readingdata from the central database 18 to obtain customer account informationand updating the central database 18 upon completion of anytransactions.

The media content distribution system 10 further features aninternal-administration process 22 for handling administration of allstores associated with all proprietors served by the system. Theinternal-administration process 22 is controlled by the operator of themedia content distribution system 10 rather than the individualproprietors. Among its functions are the management and monitoring ofall activity on the distribution system 10, as well as the policing ofproprietors who violate any terms of the subscription agreement.

A content formatting process 24 in data communication with both thecentral database 18 and the sign-up/administration process 12 receivesmedia content from the sign-up/administration process 12 and informationabout that media content from the central database 18. The contentformatting process 24 transforms media content provided by theproprietor from an origination format into any of a variety ofdistribution formats suitable for distribution over the internet andplayback on a customer's playback unit. As part of its function, thecontent formatting process 24 writes information about the status ofprocessing the media content. The content formatting process 24 savesthe transformed media content to a content storage area 26 where itawaits distribution.

The content formatting process 24 transforms uploaded media content intoone or more formats suitable for distribution. Exemplary distributionformats include, but are not limited to WMA format and MP3 format.However, the content formatting process 24 can translate one format intoany other format within the same media category. Exemplary mediacategories include audio and video.

In addition, the content formatting process 24 may extract selectedportions of the uploaded content to create a ring-tone suitable fordownload to a cell phone or personal digital assistant, or otherselected portions suitable for preview by customers. The process ofextracting selected portions need not happen immediately. For example, aproprietor could choose to extract selected portions of previouslyuploaded media content.

By pre-processing the media content in this way, the media contentdistribution system 10 avoids the need to carry out the processing inreal-time. In addition, the media content distribution system 10 avoidsthe inefficiency of carrying out the same processing multiple times.

The content formatting process 24 is preferably in local datacommunication with the content storage area 26 and with thesign-up/administration process 12. All storage carried out by thecontent formatting process 24 is carried out locally. As used herein,“local” means that data communication need not be carried out over anetwork, with its overhead of network protocols. This allows more rapidprocessing.

The most readily apparent component of the distribution system 10, fromthe point of view of the customer 34, is the storefront process 28. Thestorefront process 28 creates a storefront that invites customers 34 tointeract with the proprietor, for example, by inviting the transmissionof a text message, to browse media content for distribution, and toactually receive the media content, or other goods, either throughpurchase, by redemption of coupons, or simply upon request, depending onthe restrictions imposed by the proprietor.

Data representative of coupons, such as stored value codes, suitable forredemption by the storefront process 28 can be obtained in numerousways. The proprietor may, for example, using the sign-up/administrationprocess 12, configure special offers and create coupon codes. Thesecoupon codes can then be transmitted to customers 34 whose contactinformation is stored in the central database 18. A customer 34 whoreceives a coupon code can then interact with the storefront process 28.The storefront process 28 typically asks the customer 34 to enter thecoupon code, confirms that the coupon code is valid, and proceeds todownload the requested content to a location designated by the customer34.

The storefront process 28 obtains, from the central database 18,information concerning the appearance of the storefront and the mediacontent available for distribution. The storefront process 28 alsoupdates to the central database 18 with information about new customers34 and any new transactions carried out with new or existing customers34. To facilitate download, the store 28 provides the customer 34 with adownload utility, or a hyperlink to obtain the download utility. Thedownload utility 30 is a small executable file that is downloaded by thecustomer 34. The download utility 30 carries out the download of mediacontent from the content storage area 26 and immediately post-processesthat media content to append associated metadata.

Among the tasks of the download utility 30 is that of configuring thedownload from a media content delivery system 10, and downloading thefile using any one of a variety of internet protocols, including, butnot limited to http and ftp. Optionally, the download utility 30 renamesthe file to a name that is more readily associated with the content.Such a file name is typically specified by the proprietor. Finally, thedownload utility 30 associates, with the downloaded media content file,meta-data as specified by the proprietor.

In an alternative embodiment, a download is consummated without adownload utility 30 by providing links that enable a customer's browserto carry out the download. In such cases, the tasks of associatingmeta-data with the media content file and that of renaming the filecannot be carried out by the download utility 30. In such cases, thesetasks can be carried out by a server on a content delivery networkthrough which the media content is to be downloaded.

As used herein, the term “customer” is not intended to imply that anactual purchase must be made. The proprietor of a virtual store hascomplete freedom in managing intellectual property rights associatedwith media content. Thus, the proprietor may choose to simply give awaymedia content in an unrestricted way, either to all or to selectedcustomers 34. Such generosity may be motivated, for example, by aninterest in promotion.

A customer typically interacts with the storefront using a generalpurpose digital computer. However, the media content distribution system10 described herein is not limited by the customer's choice of device.The media content distribution system 10 described herein can readily beconfigured to accommodate any of a variety of digital processingdevices, including music players, video players, cellular telephones, orother digital appliances.

Moreover, there is no requirement that the proprietor actually offer anymedia content for sale. The proprietor may, for example, have aninterest in publicity, and may, in some cases, simply providebiographical information.

FIG. 2 shows, in more detail, the procedure carried out in preparingmedia content for distribution. First, the store proprietor provides thecontent formatting process 24 with access to the media content, forexample by transmitting that content, stored in an origination format,over a network to a machine or cluster of machines (step 38) A machineor set of machines in cluster then launches a content formatting process24 that converts the media content into a distribution format suitablefor distribution (step 40). The media content, now stored in adistribution format, is then provided to a content distribution system,which places the media content, or pointers thereto, on one or more ofits content servers for distribution (step 42).

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the procedure carried out for downloading the mediacontent, both with (FIG. 3) and without (FIG. 4) the operation of thedownload utility 30.

Referring first to FIG. 3, the download utility 30 is first delivered toa processing device associated with the customer (sep 42). The downloadutility 30 then requests the desired media content from a content serverassociated with the content delivery system (step 44) and also requestsassociated meta-data from the media content distribution system 10 (step46). The download utility 30 then embeds the associated meta-data intothe content file headers of the media content (step 48). Optionally, thedownload utility 30 renames the media content to a name previouslyspecified by the proprietor (step 49).

In an alternative procedure 50 for downloading media content, shown inFIG. 4, a hyperlink is provided to the processing device associated withthe customer (step 52). Conventional browser software executing on thecustomer's processing device follows the hyperlink to a content servercontaining the media content (step 54). The hyperlink also initiatesexecution of a script by the content server (step 56). This scriptcauses meta-data associated with the media content to be embedded infile headers of the media content (step 60). Optionally, the scriptcauses the media content to be renamed as previously specified by theproprietor (step 61).

The foregoing description describes the logical architecture of themedia content distribution system 10. The particular hardware componentsupon which the various processes described herein actually execute isimmaterial to the invention. The various processes can execute on asingle data processing system, or on multiple data processing systems indata communication with each other. Such data communication can beprovided by a local area network, a wide area network, or combinationsthereof.

A system as described herein can be implemented in hardware or software,or a combination of both. The system can be implemented in computerprograms using standard programming techniques following the methodsteps and figures described herein. Suitable programs include thosedesigned to execute on programmable computers and/or data processingsystems, each comprising a processor, a data storage system (includingmemory and/or storage elements), at least one input device, and at leastone output device, such as a CRT or printer. Program code is applied toinput data to perform the functions described herein and generate outputinformation. The output information is applied to one or more outputdevices such as a CRT, as described herein.

Each program is preferably implemented in a high level procedural orobject oriented programming language to communicate with a computersystem. However, the programs can be implemented in assembly or machinelanguage, if desired. In any case, the language can be a compiled orinterpreted language.

Each such computer program is preferably stored on a storage medium ordevice (e.g., ROM or magnetic diskette) readable by a general or specialpurpose programmable computer, for configuring and operating thecomputer when the storage media or device is read by the computer toperform the procedures described herein. The system can also beconsidered to be implemented as a computer-readable storage medium,configured with a computer program, where the storage medium soconfigured causes a computer to operate in a specific and predefinedmanner to perform the functions described herein.

Although the invention has been described above in the context of oneembodiment, this is but one of many embodiments that incorporate theprinciples of the invention. The foregoing description as illustratingthe invention and is therefore not to be construed as limiting the scopeof the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be determinedby the appended claims.

1. A method for implementing a media content store, the methodcomprising: providing a set of exemplary storefronts for the mediacontent store, each of the storefronts providing a user interfaceaccessible to a prospective customer; receiving a designation of aselected storefront chosen from the set of exemplary storefronts;receiving media content in an origination format; transforming the mediacontent into a distribution format; offering the media content, in thedistribution format, to the prospective customer for download throughthe selected storefront; accepting instructions from the prospectivecustomer for downloading the media content, in the distribution format,through the selected storefront; and providing a download utility fordownloading the media content, in the distribution format, through theselected storefront to a digital appliance provided by the prospectivecustomer.
 2. A computer-readable medium having encoded thereon softwarefor implementing a media content store, the software comprisinginstructions for: providing a set of exemplary storefronts for the mediacontent store, each of the storefronts providing a user interfaceaccessible to a prospective customer; receiving a designation of aselected storefront chosen from the set of exemplary storefronts;receiving media content in an origination format; transforming the mediacontent into a distribution format; offering the media content, in thedistribution format, to the prospective customer for download throughthe selected storefront; accepting instructions from the prospectivecustomer for downloading the media content, in the distribution format,through the selected storefront; and providing a download utility fordownloading the media content, in the distribution format, through theselected storefront to a digital appliance provided by the prospectivecustomer.
 3. A system for implementing a media content store, the systemcomprising: a sign-up/administration module for receiving a choice for adesignated storefront selected from a set of exemplary storefronts forthe media content store; a media content transformer, in datacommunication with the sign-up/administration module, for transformingmedia content from an origination format into a distribution format; anda storefront process for offering the media content, in the distributionformat, to the prospective customer for download through the selectedstorefront; wherein the storefront process is configured to acceptinstructions from the prospective customer for downloading the mediacontent, in the distribution format, through the selected storefront;wherein the system further comprises a download process configured toprovide a download utility for downloading the media content, in thedistribution format, through the selected storefront to a digitalappliance provided by the prospective customer.